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With Hodgson in prison and several inconsistencies in his statement, police dismissed David’s confession.

He served nine months for the burglaries, but soon after was back before the courts in June 1984 for holding up a post office in Swanwick at knifepoint.

Neither John nor Geoff knew that their brother had been sent to Dartmoor prison, or that he was working as a fisherman in Brixham after his release, until he suddenly reappeared in Portsmouth in
October 1988.

Police yesterday claimed David had returned to his birthplace to say goodbye to his family, but the brothers told the Echo it was pure chance that he ended up back in Hampshire that autumn.

“The ship he was working on had actually docked in Portsmouth for repairs,” John said.

“It was then that he told us about the burglaries and the post office, but we didn’t make a big deal about it. I asked him to come back for Christmas and stay with us.

“I phoned him back in early December to see if he was still coming for Christmas, but he said ‘no’. I asked him why and he said ‘because you don’t know what I’ve done’. I had no idea what he was
talking about and assumed it was another burglary.”

On December 9, just a few days after that last conversation, the family was told David had killed himself at his home in Brixham. John travelled with his stepfather to the sleepy Devon town and
were informed that David had been found with a Tesco plastic bag over his head.

As they laid David to rest at Kingston Cemetery, opposite the family home in George Street, they were convinced he had been the victim of foul play.

Almost 21 years had passed when David’s five siblings were contacted by Hampshire police in June with shocking news that would change their lives forever.

Geoff said: “When they said it was to do with David my response was that he had not committed suicide – that he’d been killed. When they told me that my brother had confessed to the murder I nearly
collapsed,” he said.

“I told them that I’d do anything I could to help them.”

On Tuesday, detectives finally confirmed the news they had been dreading for almost three months – that David had killed Teresa.

Asked if he could ever forgive his brother, John replied: “I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t, but I’d have to forgive him. As hard as it would be to do, he is family.”

With Hodgson in prison and several inconsistencies in his statement, police dismissed David’s confession. He served nine months for the burglaries, but soon after was back before the courts in June
1984 for holding up a post office in Swanwick at knifepoint.

Neither John nor Geoff knew that their brother had been sent to Dartmoor prison, or that he was working as a fisherman in Brixham after his release, until he suddenly reappeared in Portsmouth in
October 1988.

Police yesterday claimed David had returned to his birthplace to say goodbye to his family, but the brothers told the Echo it was pure chance that he ended up back in Hampshire that autumn.

“The ship he was working on had actually docked in Portsmouth for repairs,” John said. “He went to mum’s house, she fed him, gave him a bath and did some washing for him. I had a phone call to say
he was there and dad brought him up to my house. It was then that he told us about the burglaries and the post office. I suppose we were shocked, but we didn’t make a big deal about it. I asked him
to come back for Christmas and stay with us.

“I phoned him back in early December to see if he was still coming for Christmas, but he said ‘no’. I asked him why and he said ‘because you don’t know what I’ve done’. I had no idea what he was
talking about and assumed it was another burglary.”

On December 9, just a few days after that last conversation, the family was told David had killed himself at his home in Brixham.

John travelled with his stepfather to the sleepy Devon town and were informed that David had been found with a Tesco plastic bag over his head.

As they laid David to rest at Kingston Cemetery, opposite the family home in George Street, they were convinced he had actually been the victim of foul play.

John said: “He was buried opposite our family home so that mum could look out the lounge window, see his grave and know that he was there.”

Almost 21 years had passed when David’s five siblings were contacted by Hampshire police in June with shocking news that would change their lives forever.

Geoff was at work when police called to say that he could be an important witness to an historic crime.

“When they said it was to do with David my response was that he had not committed suicide – that he’d been killed. When they told me that my brother had confessed to the murder I nearly collapsed,”
he said.

“I told them that I’d do anything I could to help them. They took DNA from all of us and that is how they tracked him.”

On Tuesday, detectives finally confirmed the news they had been dreading for almost three months – that David had killed Teresa.

Asked if he could ever forgive his brother, John replied: “I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t, but I’d have to forgive him. As hard as it would be to do, he is family.”